Archdiocese of Harare Agnes and Alois Guild on Saturday 23 January celebrated in a spirited all night gathering, the Feast of St Agnes day at St Canisius Parish in Marlborough.

In his theme talk presentation, Minister Brian Barreta enjoined the attending members that they should not live to fulfil earthly desires but seek to serve God as they belong to God himself.

“Agnes offered herself to God but we offer ourselves to other people who are not our creators. Be what you want today not tomorrow. If you want to be a saint, live a saintly life today,” said Minister Barreta.

Fr Claudy Maganga strengthened the youths who often lose friends after choosing to live a saintly life and urged them to be watchful of friends and be able to resist peer pressure.

The night was filled with spirited speakers as Sr. Diana LCBL also presented on Youth, the Family and the Church, challenging the current members of the guild to follow the footsteps of their fore-brothers who started the guild.

She told members of the guild to have respect for the human dignity explaining how respect shapes their relationships. “Be the Doors of mercy,” she concluded.

Bishops for Gweru and Mutare Dioceses on Saturday the 16th of January opened the Doors of Mercy at St Theresa Cathedral in Gweru and at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Mutare respectively following the inauguration of Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy by Pope Francs on the 8th of December 2015.

Gweru Diocese rolled down the Year of Consecrated life banner and Bishop Xavier Munyongani opened the Door of Mercy in the presence of retired bishop, Martin Munyanyi.

In his remarks, bishop Munyongani said “To enter the door of mercy means discovering the depth of our father’s mercy that is so welcoming so as Christians let’s live a life which is simple that the Good Lord will have mercy on us.”

In Mutare, Rt Rev Bishop Alexio Muchabaiwa emphasised that, “for peace to prevail in the family, community and the world, mercy has to be everyone’s daily bread because mercy is the driver of all that is good, and that those who are not merciful do not forgive.”

“Those who do not forgive always have an intrapersonal fight and have no peace,” bishop Muchabaiwa added.

The Dominican Order in Zimbabwe on Saturday 23 January gathered at St Johns Emerald Hill School, marking the Jubilee Year of 800th Anniversary of the official foundation of the Order by Pope Honorius III in 1216.

The celebrations were themed, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” and were attended by hundreds of religious and lay faithful from around Zimbabwe.

Fr Mupandasekwa CSSR, who was the main celebrant and homilist, encouraged members of the Dominican Order to follow with passion the ways laid down by St Dominic laying emphasis on the need to embrace study and missionary dynamism especially searching for new ways of evangelising.

“An ignorant teacher is very dangerous. Some of us are too rigid, inflexible and they fail to adapt to new ways of preaching the gospel,” said Fr Mupandasekwa CSSR.

He urged members of the Dominican Order to contemplate how they have been contributing positively to the Order in the past 800 years and how the breaking of vows and unfaithfulness also contribute to the state of the order.

34 Dominican Order lay Associates were received in the order and promised to live a life inspired by St Dominic’s values and principles.

Since their entry into Zimbabwe towards the end of the 19^th century upon the invitation by the Jesuit Zambezi mission, Dominican Sisters have been doing notable works that include setting up and running hospitals, schools, preaching the gospel with an option for the poor being part of their core business.

Prophet Walter Magaya says every wife must be a hooker in bed to keep their husbands.

The Prophet told women gathered for a Ladies Night that : “S.ex is like a salary, everyone thinks it’s better elsewhere when in actual fact it is not. The reason why your husband has fallen for that other woman is not because she is better than you but because she is wiser than you. She ensures that she treats him like a king. You should make your husband feel like he is the best. Never make him feel belittled. Every woman must be a prostitute in her bedroom.

Magaya added :”Prostitutes walk naked unlike what you do. You need to understand the art that will bring him back home, be naked. You need to have wisdom of attracting the man back. Quit the habit of wearing jerseys to bed. You also have to dress up and apply your lotion in front of your husband not hiding like what you do. Men are attracted by the smallest things hence you need to be careful on how you handle him.

It is your duty to describe last night and exalt what he might have done well and forget about what he did wrong. You are not bringing him back to you, hence he eventually loses interest in you. He is living in a world full of pressure and all he wants from you is love of which love is not s.ex, s.ex is only a celebration of love. Prostitutes ensure they recall their clients’ names and that makes the clients to feel loved.

You should always make sure you pass positive comments about your experience with him. The challenge you have is that you are complaining machines and never have anything good to say. Your change should not be abrupt but you have to take it bit by bit until you reach a level where you satisfy him.

Show your spouse that you care by caring a lot even on the smallest things that relate to him. Prostitutes register in men’s minds that they cannot do without them even if they are lying and that is what makes them loyal to them. Your problem is that you ask for money from your husband when what you should do is praise him and the money will come. Do not major on the monetary issues.

We make our husbands feel belittled. If you are still single do not sleep with him because when you do he gains value whilst you lose value. You need to create the principles because every man is principled you need to make your husband feel like your life depends on him not the “I don’t care” attitude you have. You need to programme in his head that if he leaves you then you are dead.

“As we celebrate the Jubilee Year of Mercy, we must never lose the sense of sin,” said His Grace, the Archbishop of Harare Rev. Robert Ndlovu.

“We should re-examine our conscience, acknowledge our sins and confess them,” he said in his homily during confirmation mass at Our Lady of the Wayside parish in Mt Pleasant on Sunday 24 January.

The Archbishop urged the confirmed congregants to use their gifts to build rather than to destroy. “The beauty of roses comes from the variety of their colours and it is the variety of our gifts that make the work of God attainable,” said the Archbishop.

In a church where people tend to relax in serving the Church and God after receiving sacraments, the Archbishop said people should not be afraid to come out and show their gifts and also warned against those who bar others from using their gifts in Church.

“Many people spend the whole life looking at or for other people’s gifts and failing to discover their own gifts. Do not hide your gifts but rather use them to help the Church. Some of us receive all the sacraments from Baptism to Matrimony and they die without even contributing once to the Church,” he said.

Itai Dzamara’s wife, Sheffra Dzamara, kid and Dzamara’s brother Patson Dzamara. (Photo: Gerald Chateta).

The Zimbabwe Devine Destiny church in partnership with the missing Itai Dzamara family said that they are planning to hold a massive demonstration and a congregation where they will be celebrating the life of the disappeared Journalists-cum social rights activist Itai Dzamara.

Patson Dzamara brother to the missing Itai Dzamara told Journalists on the sidelines of a prayer meeting they held in Harare’s Africa Unity Square Tuesday to mark the 11^th month of his brother Itai’s disappearance that the joint event has been slated for the 9^th of March.

He said people should come in their numbers and join them in a massive demonstration which will send a message to government that they want their family member back.

“We want numbers as we march throughout the city and congregate for the launch the documentary which celebrates the life of Itai who above all we consider a hero,” he said.

“We do not mind whatever happened and whether we are going to see him or not, he is an idea or he represents an idea whose time has come, so as a people we are going to augment that through our celebration of his life”.

Patson said time was up for Zimbabwean youths to demand their constitutional rights.

“These people who are busy defecating on our future have already expended their lives and it is now our future that they are messing up with. So it is our responsibility as young people and we encourage you to   join us especially on the 9^th of March,” he said.

Speaking at the same event Zimbabwe Devine Destiny director who is also the Itai Dzamara Trust board chairperson Bishop Ancelimo Magaya said President Robert Mugabe and his leadership should not forgiven for its brutality.

“We bemoan and lament the fact that 11 months after Itai Dzamara was abducted, his where about are still unknown and there is no trace of him and there is no an aorta of remorse on the part of President Mugabe and his top leadership,”said Bishop Magaya.

“There is no indication that they do regret and lament that under their leadership people still disappear, they are the custodians of the constitution and we are very sad to say that”.

Bishop Magaya said Mugabe has learnt a lesson from the Dzamara family that people will not zip their mouths when their family members have been abducted.

“However what we want to encourage Zimbabweans is that they need to be definers of their own destiny as I have always said and this time around let it be registered that never again will any Zimbabwean be abducted and we fold we will put pressure,” he said.

As part of putting pressure to government so that it searches for Dzamara Bishop Magaya said they have sought an appointment with Vice President Mnangagwa.

“I have already crafted a letter to him and we are still to secure an appointment and we are going to set it this week, and we pray that he is going to give us audience,” he said.

Teachers from different Jesuit schools met at Silveira House on the 22^nd of January for an education curriculum review workshop which was organized by the Jesuit Education Office.

The workshop aimed at reviewing the existing curriculum and to seek ways of employing Jesuit values in enhancing quality of education in schools.

Facilitating the workshop, Mrs Kathy Bond Stewart from Association for Community Publishing and Development Trust (ACPDT) encouraged the participants present to engage the students in a certain level of decision making so as to strengthen cordial relations between the two parties.

She further urged the attendees to recognize that their significant role is to teach and nurture young souls and to capacitate them with various skills.

The Jesuit Province of Zimbabwe-Mozambique runs about 18 schools in Zimbabwe including primary and secondary schools.

Prophet Walter Magaya (photo: B Kanamhora)

THE inquest into the stampede which left 11 people dead at a Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries all-night prayer meeting at Mbizo Stadium in Kwekwe last year failed to resume yesterday after prosecutor Salome Maunganidze fell sick.

The matter, which opened on January 28 with police and council blaming PHD Ministries for the stampede, was due to continue yesterday with other police officers due to give evidence before resident magistrate Taurai Manwere.

However, area prosecutor Maunganidze asked the court to postpone the matter to February 24 saying she was unable to continue as she was not feeling well.

“Your Worship, I have consulted with my learned colleague and we have agreed to postpone the matter to February 24 because I am not feeling well,” she said.

PHD Ministries leader Walter Magaya was expected to appear before the court yesterday to give evidence in the inquest into one of the worst disasters to strike the second largest city in the Midlands.

Church lawyer Everson Chatambudza, who had travelled from Harare together with other church members, confirmed that they had agreed to have the matter postponed.

The two witnesses who have so far testified at the inquest — Kwekwe City Council director of housing Newton Dete and Police Inspector Philip Nyateka —both said PHD Ministries failed to act in a reasonable manner and their actions could have caused the stampede.

“In my view, PHD Ministries hired a venue which has exit points that could not manage to contain the people who attended the prayer meeting and as a result of this poor planning, 11 people died,” Nyateka said.

Tamuka Chivasa (11), Ian Nkomo (40), Tendekai Bafana (9), Juliet Mawere (55), Rachel Zvinei (16), Shadreck Kurebwa (59), Bridget Mukaraji (24), Albert Ndure (13), Cynthia Jane Kotsholo (47), Grace Gwinji (47) and Winmore Chikanda (12) lost their lives during the stampede.

CHURCH leaders have said government workers and civil society organisations dealing with human rights abuses should be excluded from the National Peace and Reconciliation processes as their participation would dent the results of the investigations.

The recommendation was made at a policy forum which was organised by the National Transitional Justice Working Group Zimbabwe (NTJWG) in Harare Wednesday evening.

In December, government gazetted the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Bill and made co­ Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko responsible.

Mphoko is a member of the executive which the public accuse of human rights violations.

The VP is under fire from the public over his attitude towards some of the atrocities which were perpetrated by the state.

On several occasions, he has exonerated both President Robert Mugabe and the state from the Gukurahundi massacres which claimed 20 000 civilians in the early 1980s.

Acting Principal of Arrupe College, Father Professor Lawrence Daka, who was one of the quest speakers on Wednesday night, said for the national healing process to yield results a faith ­based approach should be employed.

“A faith­based process can achieve better results,” he suggested.

“Indeed there is need for a government oversight to be the guarantors of the whole exercise; however for the effectiveness of the process it is desirable in my opinion that there be non ­government implementers.”

Since the peace body was mooted, there has also been a stampede by NGOs who work with victims of political violence with activists biding to be part of the reconciliation process.

But Father Professor Daka said interested parties would compromise the results of the process.

“The process can become more effective when government entrusts the church or church people to carry it out,” he said.

“Faith­ based initiatives deliver better and positive results than political, aligned or self­ interested groups.”

Mphoko failed to attend the meeting because of his Zanu PF party’s heated politiburo meeting which lasted for more than 10 hours. Members of the opposition MDC­T party, civil society and foreign diplomats attended the policy dialogue forum in which church leaders appeared to want to be in charge of the reconciliation process.

Victoria Falls- Magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa Thursday referred the Remnant Church Pastor Patrick Philip Mugadza’s case in which he demanded for the stepping down of the President Robert Mugabe to the Constitutional Court.

The 45 year old Kariba Pastor is being charged with criminal nuisance and  contravening of Section 46 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 and criminal nuisance following his 11 December solo demonstration against Mugabe  in Victoria Falls.

During his protest Pastor Mugadza had a placard which read, “Mr President People are suffering Proverbs 21:13.”

He was charged and spent the entire Christmas holiday in custody and was later released on $50 bail during the New Year’s Eve.

He is denying the charges saying that he has a constitutional right to demonstrate and express himself.

His case was referred to the Constitutional Court after his Lawyer Lizwe Jamela of the Zimbabwe Lawyers had argued that Mugadza’s case was a constitutional matter.

THERE is a convergence between politics and religion; an interconnection so strong that it should be evident at a glance.

I write this article against a backcloth of some who conceive that those who identify with religion must be divorced from political themes, whether in opinion or participation.

Personally, I know of many Christians who are active in politics and yes who are committed within the Christian line of work.

Personally, I contribute to a number of Christian bodies which have also borrowed ideas from my work over the years and have invited me on countless occasions as a speaker.

However, I perceive that it would be wrong for any citizen of this land to want to rob anyone be they religious or nonreligious from adding their voice towards national issues.

We have had members of the clergy who took political office in years gone by and we continue to have the likes of Bishop Ancelimo Magaya who has continued to demand the return of Itai Dzamara, Bishop Noah Pashapa, Andrew Wutawunashe, apostolic sect leaders, Bishop Sebastian Bakare, Pius Ncube and recently Pastor Mugadza who was arrested for exercising his constitutional right to demonstrate.

While these men have received punches for either being pro­establishment or against the status quo, they ought to be commended for taking and urging interest in the good administration of the country.

Religious people enjoy the freedom of conscience and the freedom of opinion as expressly granted in the national charter like everyone else.

The responsible citizen, in my view, must never be blind to issues that affect their countrymen, Christians or nonChristians.

There is a convergence between religion and politics and we cannot try and pretend to be blind to the interface.

While it must be agreed that falsehoods and hurtful politicking has no place within people of faith, it is naivety defined when one thinks religion is not affected by the politics of the day.

It is deviousness of the first order when one cannot see the apparent collusion between politics and religion and tries to stop the religious world from pointing out at malady in society.

It is one reason why the sprouting prophets in the country have been attacked left right and centre for their only concern and liveliness is seen when it comes to the movement of the tithe collection bowl but they stand aloof when the fundamental rights of citizens are trampled upon.

One just needs to ask themselves how many of the hundreds of prophets emerging daily in the country have spoken against the disappearance of journalist turned political activist, Itai Dzamara, who has been missing for close to a year now.

As concerned Christians in Zimbabwe, all that we yearn for is a society where people can worship freely without any religious or political leader abusing or taking advantage of them.

We long for a better system of governance. We want a country that is well administered that enables people to feed their families and to enjoy the great gift of life.

We desire a country in which the rule of law is upheld and people’s right to demonstrate and petition respected.

We demand a nation where the police do not unnecessarily brutalize people. We detest violence, whether from the State or individuals.

We require peace as it is critical for worship. We require leaders that fear God and true religion should be concerned when prisoners have to use the bucket toilet system and worse when they have to pluck Bible pages to use as toilet paper.

Real Christians ought to be touched when prisoners live in condemned cells that have been declared unfit for human habitation.

Christians must be touched when hospitals are found wanting in terms of basic drugs like Panadol. It is the Christian who knows his duty to stand out and point to malady when thirteen year old girls are taken in for marriage as we continue to see in some sections of society.

The responsible Christian would be interested in adding their voice on contentious issues such as the death penalty currently before the Constitutional Court.

There is a whole world of difference between Christianity and docility. Christianity is not another term for passiveness.

Real Christians are alert to their environment and matters that affect the faith. In this light, it is imperative that true Christians are concerned with the governance of a country as it has several implications to the church and its fundamental beliefs.

It is not easy­for pastors­ to be shepherding thousands of hungry people.

There is no joy when a church cannot fulfil its biblical obligations such as contributing to charity work and building infrastructure because a country is on its knees.

Politics is what creates government and prescribes its road map. It is politics which ties everything together from education, family to religion itself.

It is therefore an oxymoron to suppose that those with religious inclination should have no voice on issues that have a clear bearing on the welfare of the nation.

Archdiocese of Harare Sacred Heart Cathedral on Saturday the 30^th of January hosted choral competitions at David Livingstone Primary School aimed at fundraising for the Cathedral’s roof renovations.

Sacred Heart Cathedral treasurer, Mr. Tinashe Mukadzambo confirmed that the choral competitions were part of the ongoing fundraising projects for the renovation for the cathedral roof.

“The fundraising is an ongoing process and the choirs traditionally have been used to fundraise in different parishes in the Archdiocese and they were just one of the many initiatives put in place, a lot of initiatives are in place to ensure that the roof is repaired…,” said Mukadzambo.

One of the Archdiocese’s iconic composers Fr. Emmanuel Ribeiro urged the congregants to continue supporting such events to maintain the center of our Catholic faith in the Archdiocese.

“Every Catholic should know that we come from the Cathedral, it our hub for the faith in this Archdiocese therefore it’s very important that we renovate and maintain it,” said Fr Ribeiro.

Mrs. Ruvadiki Kamundiya’s sacred hymn, “Íshe Jesu wangu” was the competition song bringing together 49 participating choirs.

Among the clergy in attendance were the Archdiocese Vicar General Fr. Kennedy Muguti and Dean of Marondera Deanery, Fr. David Lukio.

All Saints Kambuzuma Parish Choir emerged as this year’s first choral competitions winner with St Mary’s New Highfields and Holy Cross Budiriro coming second and third respectively.

“No words can ever describe the joy that we feel; it was not easy but we were determined to give it our best shot despite inadequate time for preparation,” said Mr. Nicholas Magodi, the winning choir conductor.

Zimbabwe, this year, faces the worst drought in recent years with devastating effects threatening the livelihood of millions.

AS we entered into the year 2016, exactly seven weeks ago, the country reverberated with messages of a prosperous and stable Zimbabwe coming.

Walter Magaya of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance ministries prophesied, for the umpteenth time, that the New Year was to become the harbinger of great things to come.

“God said to me, 2016 is the year of overflow and abundance,” Magaya told multitudes of his followers gathered at his Waterfalls Church in Harare, prompting them to break into song and dance.

Magaya said before he made the declaration about 2016, he had spent the greater part of December interceding and seeking God’s plans. He travelled to Nigeria for confirmation of his prophecy.

He even went a step further in reinforcing his prophecy by mentioning that renowned Nigerian preacher TB Joshua had affirmed his prophecy. “I went to ask my spiritual father and he confirmed this.

Yes, I know we are going through tough times as a country, but this year, it is a year of overflow. I asked him [TB Joshua], my father, this is what the Lord is telling me, but look at our situation as a country, as Africa, is this true? He said it is true.”

Strange, isn’t it that one would seek to verify a message supposedly coming from God with another mortal being?

But knowing that a 2014 survey showed that Zimbabweans make the largest number of nationals flocking to the West African preacher’s citadel, this surely would give credence to the prophecy and it did.

Newspaper pages bristled with the headlines; I recall particularly one which screamed, “TB Joshua confirms Zimbabwean prosperity prophecy.”

It became the news as we turned into the New Year.

What further cemented the prophecy was the echoing of the same prophecy by another Zimbabwean preacher with a significant following Emmanuel Makandiwa in Chitungwiza as he declared 2016 a year of “great harvest.”

“This is a year of great harvest as there will be no depression and sorrows,” Makandiwa said.

Now, it must be clear that Emmanuel Makandiwa has been at the forefront, year in, year out, for the past six years prophesying economic boom for Zimbabweans.

The beginning of each New Year since 2010 when his ministry took off has been marked by enchanting prosperity prophecies. The man once mentioned that gold will be picked from the ground in 2013 as he prophesied massive prosperity for the country.

Recently, he made another comic prophecy that there were oil reserves underneath. The prophecy resulted in a skirmish with politician Professor Jonathan Moyo.

Now these are the most notable prophets in Zimbabwe whose prophecies rhymed. It would appear they also set the tone for the rest of the prophecies that would follow from up and coming prophets throughout the country.

Of all these hair­perming prophets none has prophesied the everyday catastrophic realities we have witnessed in the country in the last five years. Zimbabwe this year faces the worst drought in recent years with devastating effects threatening the livelihoods of millions.

None of all the prophecies thrown forward picked such a momentous disaster but they all saw prosperity.

The prophets continue to sing from the same erroneous hymn book. They have continued to fail dismally in their apparent guess work disguised as prophecy.

One other noteworthy point as many other people have pointed out is that these new age prophets thrive on saying sugary things that caress the ears of listeners.

They have to maintain hope at all cost and by all means, fair or foul. As a result, we heard the echo of the same prophecy from the ‘minor’ prophets who seemed to be parroting the words of the ‘major’ prophets.

However, reality on the ground has been the greatest betrayer of these prosperity merchants.

Zimbabwe is far from the prophesied country that would attain the huge prosperity as we have heard in the past few years.

If anything the country’s political and economic fortunes could not be any worse at this time and evidently in the future.

As things stand the factional fights characterizing the political landscape threaten the stability of the country.

One would immensely wonder how neither of the numerous prophets in this country failed to foresee the cruel El Nino facing the country today.

How these prophets missed the drought threatening livelihoods of thousands in the rural area defies the mind.

The country may soon face sugar shortages and inflation rose last week yet none saw all these undesirables and ‘God’ showed them the economy flourishing. Harare currently is groaning as excavators continue to raze built houses to the ground and nursing mothers have to brave the harsh weather.

Could this be prosperity by another name? The last year July ruling which threw over 20,000 bread winners in the streets has caused a fresh exodus to hostile foreign lands while we continue being bombarded with these patently false prophecies.

It remains unfortunate that caught between a hard place and a rock, hopeless Zimbabweans would rather cling to the hope of a never coming prosperity.

Attendants at Prophet Lazarus Mashavave’s church in Budiriro 1 who professed to have been delivered of their habits of drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes confess their deliverance after being prayed for. Some congregants at the church were less convinced of their sincerity suspecting that the act had been stage managed (photo: Sunday Mail).

A local prophet courted controversy in Budiriro 1 last week when he asked alcoholics and drug addicts to indulge in alcohol and cigarettes in church while he lay hands on them as a way of delivering them.

Prophet Lazarus Mashavave, leader and founder of Life Giving Sprit International (LGMI) told The Sunday Mail Religion that the move would demonstrate his miraculous deliverance powers and help him deliver the addicts.

As congregants were smoking and drinking, Prophet Mashaire was laying hands on them and declaring them free.

This stunning departure from the norm have since stirred debate in the Christian community with some saying modern prophets are taking their spiritual demonstrations and miracles too far, while others are seeing the mighty hand of God.

Biblically, men of the cloth have stood against the principal of taking alcohol and other drugs.

The move left many questioning the sincerity of the church demonstration.

“Wangu this world is coming to an end. Maporofita enyu aya! Hameno chimboitai,” said a skeptical Farai Mudondo, a Budiriro 1 resident.

A lady identified as Mai Anisha said the demonstration was not necessary.

“I do not doubt that God can do anything, but these demonstrations are way off the mark, why can’t he just pray for them without asking them to drink and smoke?” she asked.

She added that when Jesus delivered the woman who was accused of adultery (John 8 verse11), He never ordered her to demonstrate her problem. Rather, Jesus just addressed her need.

On the day in question, Prophet Mashaire proclaimed that he has powers to deliver alcoholics and drug addicts.

Soon after his proclamation, several men and women thronged the pulpit seeking delivarance.

Prophet Mashaire subsequently ordered those who had come to the altar to drink alcohol and smoke their cigarettes.

They rushed to were they had been seated to take their cigarettes and beer and started drinking and smoking. What was not clear was why the congregants had brought the alcohol and cigarretes to church.

In a few minutes, they were complaining that their cigarettes and beer had lost taste.

An elderly man only identified as Mukoma Solomon was the first to testify that his cigarette has lost its original taste.

“This is not the Madison that I have been taking, it has changed,” he said.

Prophet Mashaire ordered him to another one and try again.

ln his second attempt, Mukoma Solomon said he could no longer smoke.

LGMI congregates described their leader as a serial healer, seer and deliverer.

“My brother there is absolutely nothing he cannot solve, he walks hand in hand with God,” said Tapiwa Ngwenya.

“There is nothing wrong with what he did, it’s only that you don’t know him. God is about to open a new dispensation using Prophet Mashaire.

“The problem is that people will always look at the negative, they ignore the fact that people have been delivered,” said Paul Mapfumo.

Life Giving Spirit International (LGMI) was founded in 2012.

Prophet Lazarus Mashaire told The Sunday Mail Religion that he draws his inspiration from United Family International Church leader Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa, his spiritual father.

HAS the Zimbabwean church, whose public persona is dominated by tabloid headlines of trashy stories, betrayed its multitudes of members during what could be the country’s greatest time of need?

Over 80 percent of Zimbabwe’s population professes allegiance to one Christian denomination or another.

Religion does not only provide a moral compass for people to decide between right and wrong, but it also actively shapes how people tackle various problems and formulate solutions to their day-to-day lives.

In short, it shapes a person’s worldview.

As such, as social and economic problems continue to take their toll on Zimbabwe, the question must be asked: When will the church raise its voice for the betterment of everyone?

There has been one dominant narrative when it comes to the local church. What has come to dominate debates about the church are scandalous stories of pastors and leaders doing absurd things like making people eat leaves and selling anointed this and that; even condoms.
The church in Zimbabwe has all, but betrayed itself. It seems to have become more concerned with prosperity gospel, where only the leaders prosper while followers wallow in abject poverty.

Outspoken Reverend Levee Kadenge believes that: “The church should prophesy and not salivate, as exhibited by some of our spiritual leaders when invited to take part in government business. Actually, the excitement boggles the mind.

“That is why people are asking, where is the church’s voice in the multiple-man-created problems plaguing this nation of law abiding people? Those with ears let them hear”.
Kadenge views the July 17, 2015 Supreme Court ruling that left several thousands of workers jobless as a missed opportunity for the church.

“There is no excuse for silence whatsoever. The church should have done something.”

Marlon Zakeyo, a lawyer, human rights advocate and a former general secretary of the Student Christian Movement of Zimbabwe, contends that in a plural society like Zimbabwe, it is important to have a clear view of the relationship between the church and the State.

“The church is not identified with any political community, nor is it bound to any political system. Rather its function is to be the moral conscience of the nation, the sign and safeguard of the supreme value of the human person,” Zakeyo says.

To him the role of the church is still to be defined.

“The role of the church in fostering democratic governance and the rule of law and the meaning of its ‘prophetic office’ also remain a key discussion point within church, civil society and media circles, within and outside the country,” he also queried just like Magaya.

Zimbabwe has a number of prophets whose followers probably number hundreds of thousands.

“Since the deterioration of the political and economic crisis that began in 2000, the church in Zimbabwe has been heavily criticised at home and abroad for losing its prophetic voice and remaining silent and cowardly in the face of grave human rights violations and repressive rule,” Zakeyo again stresses.

To highlight the perilous environment for the church, President Robert Mugabe once warned in 2007 that “once (the bishops) turn political, we regard them as no longer spiritual and our relations with them would be conducted as if we are dealing with political entities and this is quite a dangerous path they have chosen for themselves”.

Some, however, believe that the church has short-changed itself by becoming partisan.
On March 1, 2011, one prophet created controversy when he officiated at a ZANU-PF anti-sanctions march, where the party’s membership were launching a campaign against targeted travel and commercial sanctions against President Mugabe and some of his senior leaders.
Former education minister and senior opposition figure, David Coltart, also recently criticised the church for failing on its mandate to the nation.

“It has become far too partisan. The church has no partisan political role to play in any society; the moment the church begins to get involved in partisan political activity, it blunts its ability to speak against human rights abuses. The church has, in many respects, lost its saltiness. The people are facing starvation and yet the church appears to be silent,” said Coltart.

Ezekiel-Guti-and-President-Robert-Mugabe (photo: Newsday).

IN the face of unrelenting pressure from within Zanu PF, President Robert Mugabe has once again turned to the church for divine intervention and votes, as angry war veterans have vowed to dump him, while vicious factional fights threaten to tear apart the party ahead of the 2018 elections.

Last Friday, Mugabe dangled a carrot to Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (Zaoga) church members, offering them additional land for expansion of the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (Zegu) and “wrote off” the $2 million the educational institution owes to Bindura Municipality.

“We fought for land, and I was actually saying, the piece of land is small, be free to approach us when you need more land to expand your activities. No one will remove you from this land. You are not going to pay anything.

“You fought for this country with prayer, while us, the liberators, used our hands to fight for the land. This is the land that we fought for, we are giving you free of charge, and if you want some more, to build some more faculties like mining and agriculture, we will give you some more.”

Mugabe’s son-in-law, Simba Chikore is a member of the Zaoga church.

In what appeared to be a clear contempt of court processes, Mugabe chastised Chikumba for taking the church to court and pushing for demolition of the university’s structures.

The matter is still pending at the High Court, where Chikumba claims the university was built on his gold claims.

Mugabe also pleaded with Zaoga leader, Ezekiel Guti to pray for the restoration of moral values in the country, saying moral decadence had triggered fights and quarrels in society, including political parties.

“As I said, we are losing our morals and things are getting worse. Archbishop Guti, you should pray for our moral revival,” he said.

This is not the first time the ruling party has turned to the church for votes, as its top officials normally grace large church gatherings, particularly when major elections are looming.

Zanu PF is currently locked in bitter factional fights reportedly between Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Team Lacoste faction and the G40, which have threatened to split the party again after it parted ways in 2014 with former Vice-President Joice Mujuru, who was accused of plotting against the veteran leader.

Mujuru now leads opposition Zimbabwe People First party, which has vowed to take 92-year-old Mugabe head-on in the 2018 general elections.

Mugabe’s relationship with war veterans, one of the influential arms of his party, has also been strained, following relentless attacks on Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association’s leadership by First Lady Grace Mugabe and party members linked to the G40 faction.

A panicky Mugabe has called for a meeting with the former freedom fighters for early next month.

He said the war veterans were becoming a bad influence on the youth, who have been publicly calling for his resignation and attacking his wife, Grace.

Meanwhile, lawyer and MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said Mugabe’s decision to officiate at a university with a pending court case had shown his disregard for the rule of law.

“It just shows utter contempt and disregard for the courts and legal systems in the country by Mugabe and his regime. In fact, this is another form of exerting undue executive and political pressure on the judiciary. It’s very sad,” he said.

“Remember, there could also be some family sentiments in the mix here since Mugabe’s son-in-law is a member of Ezekiel Guti’s church. The MDC-T is a God-fearing political party and, in fact, we hold Apostle Ezekiel Guti and his church in very high regard.

“Be that as it may, we are also ardent believers in the rule of law and respect for court orders. Disrespect for the rule of law and court orders is at the very root of founding a dictatorship.”

Human rights lawyer, Prayers Chitsa said Mugabe was not supposed to take sides in the dispute, particularly since the matter was before the courts, as this had the effect of subverting justice.

EACH time I write articles which border on exposing deception, I have had numerous responses in feedback and a particular question has always featured prominently.

With the deep emotions that accompany religion, the exchanges for and against have always been laden with emotion.

The primary motive of this scope of writing has been to redirect the Christian worshipper towards true worship in the face of a flood of false, trickery, deceitful and outright demonic doctrines.

Wherever I go and in my inbox, I have always had one question popping up and that is: You accurately show that there is deception in the church today but why don’t you dwell much on what exactly constitutes the truth?

It has always been my desire to point out the biblical truth regarding prophets, apostles, prophecies and miracles and have often times weaved it in the pieces which expose deception yet there remains that question.

It would appear each time I set to write a stand­alone piece on what constitutes a true prophet there would be, in the news, some gargantuan deception; deception looming so large that it feels unjust not to highlight it.

A living example recently week has been miracle pastor, Paul Sanyangore of Victory World International Ministries, who claimed on radio that he had walked on water.

Paul Sanyangore also made headlines last year after he allegedly ‘anointed’ condoms for a woman to use in her matrimonial home.

Sanyangore is also famed for ‘killing’ congregants before resurrecting them last year.

The recent incident that has set tongues wagging is said to have happened last week at a swimming pool in Glen Lorne and the video and pictures have gone viral.

Sanyangore said his team invited him for a swim but he was unable to swim. He said, naturally, he does not swim. “I don’t swim and my team invited me for a swim. “I told them I can’t swim and I had to show them what I can do,” he said.

A picture widely circulated shows Sanyangore walking in a swimming pool with people rushing out of the pool in fear of the act.

This miracle follows hard on the heels of a similar controversial miracle by South African Prophet Shepherd Bushiri who reportedly claimed to have walked on air in a video recording widely condemned by many.

Now, it must be clear that there is a desperate attempt by the ever­ mushrooming prophets and apostles to lure people through the use of miracles and most of the miracles are embarrassingly stage ­managed.

We continue to see demons that only wait to manifest before cameras and only speak the convenient English language; demons that are well behaved before they are called out and sit in line waiting for their turn.

Just last week there was a stampede, with more than three pastors claiming to have healed the mad man whom we saw being helped in Zimbabwe by Walter Magaya.

A West African preacher splashed pictures of Garikayi Zindi on his website claiming to have healed the man. Also, Pastor Chris’ website alleged the mad man had been healed at his church.

The confusion and deception has just gone out of hand. It is against this background that one realizes that there is more need to point out deception first before highlighting true worship.

To these pretentious con preachers, it is a matter of increasing their church numbers and consequently their bank balances with more membership.

Back to the bible, it is simple to any student of the bible that the fashion in which miracles are being performed by these modern preachers are at absolute variance with the bible.

To begin with, miracles, throughout the bible, were meant for unbelievers, for heathens so that they could believe.

Even as he healed the lame and the blind, Christ Jesus intended that through the miracles, those who did not believe would believe.

There is no practical purpose a miracle serves to people who are already purported believers in God (Jehovah).

More importantly, each time a miracle was performed in the bible, there would be a genuine need to meet.

Jesus Christ never turned water into wine for the fun of it. He never multiplied a few loaves of bread and fish for the sake of it. He did not walk on water ‘just to show people what I am capable of doing.”

Jesus Christ never calmed a raging storm to simply display his miracle working prowess. He never ascended from the Mount of Olives for the fun of it.

Miracles always occurred in the context of a genuine need. This whole business of pastors recording themselves walking on air or water indicates the desperation these men have reached in trying to win congregants.

True Christianity is not advertised for using these gimmicks. Unfortunately, technology has become an accomplice in the subterfuge methods being used to deceive the gullible into flocking to these churches.

ZIMBABWE is a country under political and economic siege. It is a country in dire straits such that people would virtually do or say anything to ensure their political survival.

We have heard the weirdest statements of praisesinging from politicians as they seek to maintain political relevance and survival.

It is quite unfortunate that Zimbabwe continues to witness people going into overdrive in the quest to curry favour with the rulers of the land.

Some would like to call it bootlicking while many other unsavoury phrases have been coined to describe the practice.

One may go into politics or religion and still come across the unholy practice that has taken root where people equate mere mortals with God or historic biblical figures.

The last time it was Zion Christian Church Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi who described President Robert Mugabe as greater than the Bible author at the president’s birthday bash.

Without taking away Mugabe’s role in the liberation struggle, Mutendi’s remarks are indeed next to blasphemy.

Mutendi noted that Mugabe achieved better than the Biblical Moses since the latter failed to take the children of Israel into the land of Canaan.

Presumably, Mugabe has taken Zimbabweans to the Promised Land unlike Moses who could not cross into the land.

Moses is the hero of the Exodus whom God would speak to face­to­face as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus33:11).

It is a feat not achieved by many people in the Bible; seeing the face of God. Moses authored the entire Pentateuch whose historical accuracy has been noted by scientists as astoundingly impregnable.

It was Moses who led the Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and across the Red Sea, after which they based themselves at Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments.

Moses was a mortal who carried the presence of God. God actually appointed him a ‘God’ unto his brother Aaron who in turn was appointed a ‘God’ unto the children of Israel. It, therefore, naturally follows that Moses is, by far, one of the greatest historical figures in the truest sense of the statement; not many of us will ever see the face of God the creator of heaven and earth.

Very few of us would be tasked with such a gargantuan task of leading a sanctified nation to a Promised Land. Moses is indeed a distinct character in comparison to the current crop of leaders in earthly affairs today.

Bishop Mutendi therefore went off record and it is not to be expected of a man of his standing and it is therefore understandable why fellow clergymen and civic groups would savage him as they did after the statement.

What is worse is that the trend continues where politicians or religious leaders continue leading the crusade of equating mortals to God.

The recent gaffe comes from Zanu PF Mashonaland West senator Tapera Machingaifa whose remarks went one step father by likening the president, not only to mortal biblical figures, but to Jesus Christ himself the Son of God.

“The President is a brave leader whom I liken to Jesus Christ; he is carrying the cross just like our Lord Jesus did when he died on the cross for our sins.”

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with admirers of the president, there is everything wrong with likening mortals to immortals. In essence, the current state of Zimbabwe, the country, betrays the praise singing.

Zimbabwe has become one of the poorest countries and remains in the grip of an economic logjam that has seen millions of Zimbabweans becoming refugees enduring hostile treatment in foreign countries.

Jesus Christ is simply in a category of his own. Just like the popular hymn says, “There is no one like Jesus.”

Jesus Christ died for the sins of the entire human race. He gave life to all humanity through his death and that is simply incomparable. He is the only man who, on record, died yet he is alive. Jesus Christ is the express image of God; he is what God is regardless of what critics say. To put it plainly, Jesus Christ is himself the observable image of God (John 10:10).

He is the same as God. His service to mankind can never by any inch be compared to any mortal, living or dead.

Now it is seriously imperative that, in their quest to please people in authority, whether religious or political people must desist from statements that are biblically in bad taste and border around blaspheme.

It is sad that the economic morass in the country has created a nation of people who are not guided by principle but will say anything including blasphemous statements to be politically correct.

Rotary Club Harare Dawn on the 10^th of March handed over a reading room and borehole to St Peter Claver Primary School in Chishawasha in the contest to reduce water shortages and increase literacy levels at the school.

The ceremony was graced by the Society of Jesus Provincial, Fr Chiedza Chimhanda SJ, the Club President Mr G Pozzo, Chishawasha mission superior Fr Fidelis Mukonori SJ, Rotarians, various guests and students and staff of the school.

Rotary club Harare Dawn fundraised for the drilling of a borehole and an installation of a water pump to support the school’s student population of 424 boys and 403 girls including about 139 Early Childhood Development pupils and about 25 staff members.

The reading room built in a traditional gazebo form, was designed to be a reading shelter for the students as part of the happy readers literacy program aimed at increasing literacy levels with particular attention on reading skills.

Mr Gary Pozzo, the Rotary Club Harare Dawn President handed over the borehole and the reading block to the school’s headmaster Mr Wilfred Chitawuro.

In his thanksgiving remarks, the Provincial, Fr Chimhanda SJ expressed his gratitude to the Rotarians for supporting the school and actively involving the parents and community members to participate and contribute in school development projects.

He said the gesture by the club to invite some parents to be directly involved in projects, reminds the society that all the parents and community leaders play a key role in educating the children and complement the Jesuit’s efforts of promoting the Kingdom of God in the children.

In an interview, the Headmaster Mr Chitawuro also thanked the Rotarians for the projects and other projects which they are implementing at the school which also include the new uniform making and expressed his wish to have a bigger water tank than the 5000 litre capacity tank at the scho

In a highlight of the Holy Week, over two thousand faithful and over a hundred clergy filled the Jesuit run St Georges sports field for the 2016 Chrism mass on Tuesday the 22^ndof March where the Archbishop of Harare blessed oil for the catechumenate, chrism oil and oil for the anointing of the sick.

The mass concelebrated by the Archbishop and Papal Nuncio to Zimbabwe Archbishop Marek Zalewski was for the first time in the history of the Archdiocese held on a Tuesday and outside of the Cathedral. Moving the venue to St Georges College was necessitated by smaller space as many people attend the Mass. Also, moving a Tuesday instead of the traditional Thursday was to allow priests to attend the mass without worrying of rushing back to their parishes in preparation of the Lord’s Supper Masses.

In his homily the Archbishop asked for forgiveness from the congregants for fellow priests whom he said might have failed to match what is expected of them in their work of taking care of the souls of the faithful.

“…in trying to work for you we might have failed to take good care of your souls as expected. We ask for your forgiveness in this year of mercy. We ask a bit a bit of amnesty from you,” said the Archbishop.

Sharing a personal message to his brother priests, His Grace urged them to acknowledge that they are sinners but they should strive for holiness as the Year of Mercy is a time to reflect on their falls in their ministry.

“We should humbly acknowledge before God and his people the fact that in the history of our priesthood, the dark presence of sin is also found, so there is need for us in this Year of Mercy to commit ourselves fully to the search for holiness.”

He implored the priests not to limit their interaction with the faithful in celebrations of the Eucharist but to also give them more time for the sacrament of reconciliation which he said relates strongly with the sacrament of Eucharist.

“It could be that, many people tend to be losing interest in going for confession because we priests are hardly found in confessionals. If we can truly discover for ourselves the beauty of the sacrament of confession then we are better placed to help our brothers and sisters to do the same,” he said.
During the mass, priests also renewed their vows.